Lesions produced by cryotherapy showed significant overlying retinal destruction with intravitreal RPE cell (5D3 positive) migration. Lesions produced by transcleral CW Nd:YAG laser showed reaction primarily at the level of choroidal melanocytes and RPE. Marked expression of both glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin epitopes with a normal expression of S-100 was seen in the chronic lesion made with cryotherapy and with less intensity in lesions made with CW Nd:YAG laser.

Conclusion

Although less inner retinal destruction and no intravitreal RPE migration was observed in lesions formed by transcleral CW Nd:YAG laser, similar deep retinal Müller cell reaction occurred in lesions formed by both cryotherapy and laser as demonstrated by immunohistochemical studies.